Leone de Castris

Leone de Castris

Pioneers of Negroamaro and Creators of “Five Roses”

Leone de Castris is the oldest winery in Salento, founded in 1665 in Salice Salentino. With over 350 years of history, it is the absolute symbol of Puglian winemaking tradition, famous for creating in 1943 the first bottled rosé in Italy: the iconic Five Roses. The 350 hectares of vineyards in the terroirs of Salice Salentino and Guagnano produce wines from native grape varieties such as Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera and Verdeca, with a perfect synthesis between elegance and power typical of Salento.

Why Choose Leone de Castris

  • ✅ 350 years of uninterrupted history – The oldest winery in Southern Italy
  • ✅ Home of Five Roses – Italy’s most famous rosé since 1943
  • ✅ 350 hectares of exclusive vineyards in the heart of Salice Salentino DOC
  • ✅ Visitabile Wine Museum with artworks and historic bottles
  • ✅ Collector wines – Donna Lisa Riserva and 50 Vendemmia Five Roses
  • ✅ Possibility to visit the old 1665 wine presses
  • ✅ Shipments in exclusive packaging with certificate of authenticity

Company Technical Sheet

Designation: Salice Salentino DOC, Salento IGP, Leverano DOC
Owners: Leone de Castris Family (Salice Salentino, BR)
Winery Address: Via G. B. Tiepolo, 3 – 73015 Salice Salentino (LE)
Vineyard Hectares: 350 ha of family property
Main Grape Varieties: Negroamaro (60%), Malvasia Nera (20%), Verdeca (10%), Primitivo (10%)
Annual Production: Approximately 2,500,000 bottles
Soil Type: Clay-limestone red soils, medium texture, rich in iron
Training System: Puglian bush vine, Spur-pruned cordon, Guyot

The History and Winemaking Philosophy

The history of Leone de Castris began in 1665 when Count Oronzo Arcangelo de Castris founded the winery in Salice Salentino, giving the territory a unique enological vocation. In 1943, during World War II, Cavaliere del Lavoro Francesco Leopoldo de Castris created Five Roses, the first rosé to be bottled in Italy, intended for American troops.

The winery is built around Palazzo de Castris with its historic 17th-century stone wine presses, still visitable. Since 2000, the company has invested in a modern winemaking hall with steel tanks, temperature-controlled fermenters and French oak barriques.

The production philosophy focuses on the maximum expression of Negroamaro in all its variations: rosé, red, passito. Delicate maceration and fermentation at controlled temperatures preserve the fruity aromas. Donna Lisa Riserva ages for 24 months in barrique and 12 months in bottle, expressing the quintessence of Salice Salentino.

The company is ISO 9001 certified and manages a Wine Museum with over 500 historic pieces.